What may I do to make your day better?

I just returned home from Las Vegas late last night after spending the weekend there for a conference. It has only been two weeks since the horrific events at the Las Vegas Village.

My flight to Vegas was very different than the returning flight to Salt Lake City. The atmosphere was a bit rowdy and lighthearted. Flight attendants were joking with passengers about staying "hydrated" in the desert and would inspire the passengers to cheer about the party atmosphere. The lady sitting next to me purchased shots of tequila for her and any of the people around her. She continued to offer the drink to me, but seemed mildly frustrated I wouldn't join in with the fun. She and others were amused that she was entertaining the guy next to her who was "no fun." I just pushed my seat back, pulled my hat over my eyes and feigned sleep. I was reflective about the events that had recently transpired and how many families have been affected by the tragedy.

Perhaps the raucous attitude of passengers on that plane is a way to cope and create a distraction from the challenges each of us face in this world?

After touching down and checking out my vehicle from the rental car agency, I drove at that late hour to my hotel. A very large banner is draped from the top of the Mandalay Bay that says, "Vegas Strong!" The windows from the 32nd floor are still missing and there is still activity at the Las Vegas Village. My heart ached once again as I thought about how many souls are broken with the loss of loved ones. Many are still trying to recover in local hospitals and the lives of those individuals, and their families, will never be the same again. Even if they recover from physical scars, who knows how many emotional scars will continue to have permanence?

Thomas Campbell penned the words:

"What ’s hallowed ground? ’Tis what gives birth
To sacred thoughts in souls of worth!"

In a desert where some lay claim, "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" and ever known as "Sin City"; there is hallowed ground. A place of reverence and reflection. A place I will never be able to pass by again without thinking about the events of October 1, 2017.

On my return to Salt Lake City, I checked into the airport early in an attempt to get an earlier flight home. I was unable to and spent several hours at my gate reading my Kindle. At one point, a couple sat next to me. Within a few minutes, I noticed the man next to me was crying. His wife occasionally would put her arm around him and he would sob, bringing attention to himself. In my selfish mindset of wanting to read my book, I was distracted and a little embarrassed to the point I wanted to relocate.

I texted my wife and said, "the man sitting next to me is crying his eyes out. His wife keeps consoling him. Not sure what happened but not sure if I should ask?"

I didn't know how to react and I was reaching out to my wife for her wisdom and compassion. She replied, "I would say, I can't help noticing that you're upset. I'm sorry. May I get you a water, soda or something else?"

My wife's text gave me the courage to act. I reached over and put my arm around the man and asked if there was anything I could do to make his day better. He turned and looked at me, and continued to cry. His wife leaned over and let me know they just received word that his mother was dying and had turned for the worse and they were trying to get home to San Francisco to see her before she would pass away.

I offered to help them in any way I could. She asked if I would stay with him while she made some phone calls to arrange for someone to pick them up at the airport.

As she left, he buried his head into my chest and cried. I held him until his wife returned. When she approached, she let me know she was able to make travel arrangements with family.

Shortly after, I approached the agent at the gate and asked if there was something that could be done to allow them priority boarding. She quickly accommodated and made arrangements to escort them onto their outbound flight. As the couple was about to board the plane, they both came over and gave me a hug and thanked me. Now there were three of us crying...

There I was, someone who only a few minutes before had been completely self absorbed and now I was hugging and crying with two strangers. I had been completely oblivious to the people around me, but when I looked up, there were several others who had been touched by what had transpired and were also wiping away tears. This was no longer me and two strangers, but now a room full of friends.

Through this experience, I have realized that loving and serving someone is a choice. If we wait for feelings of love before loving and serving, they often won't come. The overwhelming feeling of love for others comes when we choose to love and serve. It requires putting others before ourselves and not concerning ourselves with "what will I get out of this?"

How many lives can each of us impact by looking for those who have troubled hearts and asking them, "what may I do to make your day better?"

This is an important lesson for me to learn, not only for strangers, but especially for those who are closest to me. We all have our struggles and challenges and there are many days where we don't want to get out of bed. I am grateful for those who have witnessed my troubled heart and have lifted me from the depths of despair. I am particularly grateful to my wife, Coralee. She has always been a great example of selfless service. If it wasn't for her encouragement, I would have missed out on an opportunity to love and serve.

From the words of Mahatma Gandhi, "If a single man achieves the highest kind of love, it will be sufficient to neutralize the hate of millions."

As I later boarded my flight and the plane headed West and then circled around to go North, I took a picture of the city below. I looked at Las Vegas differently. Not a place where only bad things happen, but a place where good can be found in the hearts of strangers.